Greywolf troopers re-affirm commitment at mass ceremony

Photo By Spc. Sharla Lewis | Spc. Bruno Sicilia, Staff Sgt. Marcus Chandler, Sgt. Holly Hinton, all with 3rd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division and Spc. Isela Clark, with 4th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command pose with their certificates after the ceremony.  

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, IRAQ

10.05.2011

Story by Spc. Sharla Lewis 

3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq – In an oath, members of the military affirm their commitment to the Constitution of the United States, the President and ultimately,
each other. By attesting their true faith and allegiance to those appointed over them, they enter a family of patriots and comrades-in-arms.

Like an initial enlistment into the armed forces, a re-enlistment ceremony binds a service member who is already fulfilling their contract to additional years of service. An appointed officer administers the oath of enlistment and often the soldier’s family is present.

In a rare opportunity, Oct. 5, Cpl. Shawn Revell and his wife Spc. Kayla Revell strengthened the bonds of their family and their commitment to the United States at a mass re-enlistment
ceremony together with others from 3rd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division at Al Asad Air Base by Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, the deputy commanding general of operations for United States Forces – Iraq.

Shawn, an infantryman, is with Company B, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment and Kayla, a human intelligence collector is with A Military Intelligence Company, 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion. While Shawn is stationed at Contingency Operating Base Basrah, Kayla works at Contingency Operating Base Adder in southern Iraq, and both are scheduled to return home to the U.S. by year’s end.

Both of the soldiers said that re-enlisting was something they had planned to do as soon as they realized they would be deploying in 2011 and married soon after. Participating in the
ceremony side by side however was beyond their realm of possible until recently.

“This is one of the coolest experiences I’ve had in my military career,” Shawn said. “To find out that there was a ceremony right at the time that we wanted to re-enlist was perfect.”
At the ceremony, Shawn and Kayla stood next to each other in a formation of more than 100 soldiers, seven of which were from the Greywolf Brigade.

As Helmick delivered the oath of re-enlistment, the couple raised their right hand and recited in unison, “I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the constitution of the
United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic…”
Other troopers also re-enlisted for their families, like Sgt. Holly Hinton, a medic with C Medical Company, 215th Bde. Support Bn. who said she re-enlisted to be able to provide for her
daughter.

Hinton has been with 3rd AAB since 2006 after a break in service and working multiple jobs to try to give her daughter the life she deserved. Now able to do that, Hinton said she
planned to make the military a career and was happy to be able to have such a memorable re-enlistment
ceremony.

“I’m a lifer,” she said. “My friend Reyes re-enlisted in a (medical evacuation helicopter), so I had to find something cool to top that. When I heard about this, I jumped at the chance.”
After the ceremony, the participants lined up with their certificates to meet the general and his right-hand man Command Sgt. Maj. Earl Rice.

Seven Greywolf troopers reaffirmed their commitment to the U.S. that day. While the ceremony site was empty after guests thinned, the Army family swelled with a renewed sense
of loyalty and devotion.

Since the ceremony, 156 soldiers in 3rd AAB have re-enlisted, and the brigade expects 150 more by Christmas.

• Date Taken: 10.05.2011
• Date Posted: 10.17.2011 08:03
• Story ID: 78584
• Location: CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, IQ